Lighting appliance



Se t. 7, 1937. I I L. QDQANE 2,09

LIGHTING APPLIANCE Filed Da e. 7, 1935 INVENTOR Z/FEOY C. DOA/v15.

' ATILORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES LIGHTING APPLIANCELeroy C. Doane, Merlden/Comn, assignor to The Miller Company, Meriden,Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application December 7, 1935, SerialNo. 53,341

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to lighting appliances and vis moreparticularly directed toward light appliances designed for edge lightinand direct lighting.

According to the present invention, the lighting appliance is providedwith a panel of translucent material carried in a suitable frame, andthe light source is secured to the frame so as to be movable from aposition opposite the edge of the panel where edge lighting is obtainedto a position where the direct light from the light source is emittedfor direct lighting.

In the preferred construction, thepresent invention employs -a reflectorplaced about the light source and arranged so that when the light sourceis in position for edge lighting, all the light flux from the source isdirected into the translucent panel or panels and none of the light isallowed to escape for general illumination. The reflector and lightsource may move away from the edge lighting position and may alsopreferablybe adjustedso as to control the angle in which the directlight is emitted. Other and further objectsof the invention will 25appear as the description proceeds. The accompanying drawing shows, forpurposes of illustrating the present invention, several embodiments inwhich the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawingis il- 30 lustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In this drawing-- Fig. l is a, vertical elevational view with parts insection on the line l--l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 2ais a fragmentary section of the line 2a of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views illustrating modified forms ofconstruction.

lighting appliance is provided with a'co'mparatively heavy bottom member|li. A base-forming element .II is secured to it by screws indicated atII. The base II is hollow from underneath, as

45 shown, and supports an upwardly extending U- shaped panel receivingframe 13, the upper face of the base ll being preferably slotted toreceive theframe l3. Screws l4 secure these parts together. The frame I3is openat the top, as in- 50 dicated at l5, so as'to receive twotranslucent glass panels l6 and- These panels are preferably spacedapart, as shown, and each carries a design adapted to be brought out byedge lighting.

A tubular U-shaped frame 20 is adjustably se-- 55 cured in the base I l.The bottom horizontal por- In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2,the

tion 2| of this frame is clamped between straps 22 and the casting II.This tubular frame member carries the wiring 23 and a pin 24 carried bythe tube 20 enters slots 24a in the casting and 24b in one of the strapsso as to keep the U-shaped frame member in position as shown in Fig. 2a.This pin prevents endwise movement of the frame member and also limitsthe amount that the U-shaped frame may be swung. The upper ends 25and'26 of the .iJ-shaped frame are secured to a trough or hood 21. Thehood 21 is mounted on the ends of the tubular member for adjustmentabout a horizontal axis. The hood 21 carries a reflector 28 and thisreflector is provided with clips 29 and 30 adapted to support a lampsocket 3| and lamp bulb 32.

The reflector 28 is secured in place behind flanges 33 at the bottom ofthe hood. The reflector is apertured, as indicated at 34 to permitescape of heated air. This air passes through a longitudinally extendingslot 35 in the hood, and I this slot is covered by a ba'iile'".

When the parts are in the position shown in I full lines, the lightsource reflector and associated elements are directly above the openingin the panel-supporting frame and all the light flux is projected downinto the upper edges of the glass and between the glass panels so thatthe design carried by the panels is brightly illuminated. When onedesires to obtain general lighting from the device, the frame 20 isswung toward the dot and dash line position of Fig. 2 and the directionin which the light rays are projected may be adjusted byv swinging thereflector and associated parts on their pivotal -mountings. This isaiso'indicated in Fig. 2.

The straps 22 provide suflicient friction to hold the arm 20 in anyadjusted position, and the extent to which it can be swung depends uponthe length of the slots engaged by the pin 24. 40 Where two panels areemployed, as indicated in the drawing, the device may be arranged forswingingthe light source to either side of the vJedge lighting panels sothat direct light may be had on theright or left side, as the device isviewed in Fig. 2.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the base 34' is provided with an upright35' having a vertical pivot at 36'. This pivot supports the socketreflector and lamp bulb indicated generally at 31'. These parts can beswung, as indicated by the arrows, to adjust the position of the lightsource relative to the edge lighted panels 38'. I

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, the base 40 is provided with a frame4| opening at the sides, and two hinged units 42 and 43 are secured, asshown. These hinged units include a light source and a reflector so thatthe light may be directed into the side edges of the glass or may beprojected downwardly for direct lighting when the parts-are in the dotand dash line position.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms andconstructions within the scope of the claims, and I wish it to beunderstood that the particular forms shown are but a few of the manyforms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do nototherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting appliance adapted for edge lighting and direct lighting,comprising a base, a panel-receiving frame supported from the base andhaving an open edge, a translucent display carrying panel carried insaid frame with one edge thereof adjacent the open edge of the frame sothat light rays may enter the panel for diffusion therein and producingedge lighting, a light source, a reflector about the source, a devicefor supporting the source and reflector for movement from the positionwhere the light source is directly opposite the edge of the panel topositions where the light is emitted for direct lighting.

2. A lighting appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supportingdevice includes a vertically extending arm pivoted to the base to swingin a vertical plane.

3. A lighting appliance as claimed in claim '1, wherein the supportingdevice includes a vertically extending arm pivoted to the base to swingin a vertical plane, and the reflector is pivoted on the upper end ofthe arm to swing in a horizontal axis. e

4. A lighting appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supportingdevice includes a vertical pivot post adjacent the upper edge of thepanel and the socket and reflector swing in a horizontal axis.

5. A lighting appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light sourceand reflector are dis posed along one side edge of the panel and arepivoted to swing in the plane of the panel and about a horizontal axis.

6. A lighting appliance adapted for edge lighting and direct lighting,comprising a base, a panel-receiving frame supported from the base andhaving an open edge at the top, a translucent display carrying panelcarried in said frame with the upper edge thereof adjacent the open edgeof the frame so that light rays may enter the upper edge of the panelfor diifusion therein and producing edge lighting, a light source, areflector about the source, a device for supporting the source andreflector for movement from the position where the light source isdirectly over the edge of the panel to positions where the source isswung in front ofthe panel so that the light is emitted for directlighting.

" 7. A lighting appliance as claimed in claim 6,

wherein the reflector is adjustable about a horizontal axis through'thesource so that the angle of the direct lighting beam relative to thevertical may be adjusted.

8. A lighting appliance adapted for edge lighting and direct lighting,comprising a base, a panel-receiving frame supported from the base andhaving an open edge at the top, a translucent display carrying panelcarried in said frame with the upper edge thereof adjacent the open edgeof the frame so that light rays may enter the upper edge of the panelfor diflusion therein and producing edge lighting, a movable framepivoted to swing about a horizontal axis, a light source and a reflectorabout the source, the source and reflector being carried by the movableframe and being movable from theposition where the light source isdirectly above the edge of the panel to positions where it is swung infront of the panel so that the light is emitted for direct lighting.

9. A lighting appliance as claimed in claim 8, wherein the movable frameincludes a U-shaped member pivoted to the base below the same andextending up alongside the edges of the panel, and wherein the reflectoris secured to the upper ends of the U-shaped member.

10. A lighting appliance adapted for edge lighting and direct lighting,comprising a base, a panel-receiving frame supported from the base andhaving an open edge at the top, a translucent display carrying panelcarried in said frame with the upper edge thereof adjacent the open edgeof the frame so that light rays may enter the upper edge of thepanel fordiffusion therein, a U-shaped member pivoted to the base below the paneland extending up alongside the edges of the panel, a trough-shapedreflector having its ends secured to the upper ends of the U-shapedmember for adjustment about a horizontal axis, a light source supportedinside the reflector, the U-shaped member being swingable to shift thesource and reflector from above the panel to positions in front of thepanel, and

. means limiting the extent of such swinging movement.

11. A lighting appliance adapted for edge lighting and direct lighting,comprising a base, a panel-receiving frame supported from the base andhaving an open edge, two parallel spaced translucent panels carried insaid frame, each with an edge thereof adjacent the open edge of theframe so that light rays may pass between the panels and also enter thepanels for diffusion therein and producing edge lighting in bothdirections, a display carried by one of the panels, a combined lightsource and reflector, and mounting means therefor whereby the source andreflector may be moved from the position where the light source isdirectly opposite the edges of the panels to positions to either 'sideof the panels so that the light is emitted downwardly for directlighting. ,1

LEROY c.

